The Florida Panthers continued their strong run of form with a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night, driven by a stellar performance from Matthew Tkachuk and the steady presence of Sergei Bobrovsky in net.
Tkachuk scored twice, marking his fourth consecutive multi-point game, a feat he has achieved twice since joining the Panthers. Aleksander Barkov also found the back of the net, while Bobrovsky returned to the lineup and stopped 28 shots in his first game back after missing a two-game road trip earlier in the week to be with his wife, who is expecting.
Bobrovsky’s win was a milestone, his 408th career victory, moving him past Glenn Hall for 11th on the NHL’s all-time wins list.
“It’s special to be back on the ice, especially with a performance like this,” Bobrovsky said. “The guys in front of me were incredible tonight.”
The Panthers are now 5-0-1 in their last six games, riding high on the form of Tkachuk, who has exploded offensively in December with five goals in the first week alone, after scoring the same total in October and November combined.
The Sharks endured a tough stay in the Sunshine State, following up an 8-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday with another defeat on Saturday. Tyler Toffoli broke Bobrovsky’s shutout bid with 1:26 remaining, but San Jose couldn’t muster much else offensively, despite goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood’s heroic 50-save performance.
Blackwood, who has now made 50 saves in a game three times in his career, gave his team a chance, but the Sharks were outshot 53-29, marking Florida’s highest shot total of the season.
San Jose’s Luke Kunin had the Sharks’ best chance before Toffoli’s goal, going in alone on a short-handed breakaway with eight minutes left. However, Bobrovsky calmly denied him with a glove save, keeping the Panthers’ 3-0 lead intact.
Florida’s offense was relentless, dominating possession and generating a season-high 53 shots. Their ability to control the game allowed Bobrovsky to settle in and protect the lead, even after his brief absence from the lineup. Tkachuk’s continued hot streak further solidifies his importance to the Panthers’ offensive success.
San Jose’s struggles on the road continued, as they fell to 0-2-0 in Florida for the fifth time in franchise history. Blackwood was a bright spot, keeping the score respectable, but the Sharks’ inability to match Florida’s pace made the outcome inevitable.
Kunin’s short-handed breakaway was a turning point. If he had scored, it might have sparked a late push for the Sharks. Instead, Bobrovsky’s save shut the door and preserved the Panthers’ momentum.
The Sharks continue their six-game road trip with a stop in Carolina on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Panthers embark on a five-game road trip, beginning in Seattle on Tuesday and featuring a Stanley Cup Final rematch against Edmonton on December 16.
Florida’s recent surge, bolstered by Tkachuk’s brilliance and Bobrovsky’s consistency, keeps them firmly in the playoff picture. The Sharks, meanwhile, will need to regroup quickly as their challenging road trip continues.
